year. and last month, 15-year-old hadiya pendleton, who had just performed during president obama's inauguration festivities in washington, was shot dead about a mile from the first family's chicago home. first lady michelle obama attended her funeral last weekend, and the president highlighted her death in his appeal for new gun laws in tuesday's state of the union address. >> hadiya's parents, nate and cleo, are in this chamber tonight, along with more than two dozen americans whose lives have been torn apart by gun violence. they deserve a vote. ( applause ) they deserve a vote. gabby giffords deserves a vote. the families of newtown deserve a vote. >> warner: echoes of the mass shootings in newtown also hung over a morning ceremony at the white house today, as mr. obama awarded presidential citizens medals. six of the 18 recipients were educators who died trying to protect students at sandy hook elementary school. to help put this in focus, we are joined by lynn sweet. she's a columnist and washington bureau chief for the "chicago sun-times," and has covered the windy city for
